Wind-Up Clock

As most of you probably are aware, my Grandpa Lemmon has the starting stages of Alzheimer's Disease, and over the past year we have been doing anything and everything to keep him cheerful and upbeat.  He knows that he cant remember sometimes, or that he gets his words mixed up- which makes him frustrated. (understandable)
Through research of our own, we found out that there will be good days and bad days.....days where he will know that its June 27th, 2011, and others where he will think it is 1968.     As the family, we have to just "go with it."  
For awhile, we were getting worried....there were different health issues popping up and Grandpa wasn't himself.....at all.  This was really starting to wear on my Grandma.  We all could tell that she was getting overwhelmed and rightly so!  Grandma went from a wife to a caretaker, bill payer, house cleaner, nurse, etc.  All in a matter of about 3 months. 
Since I live in Southern Illinois now, it is not everyday that I can come up and make a visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house (even though I would love to)...but last week my mom, sister and I planned a movie night for my grandma.   This would get her mind off of everything for just a short while and allow her to just "be her" for a little bit.
Here is a picture of all of us on the couch getting ready to watch Man in the Moon.  :)

 When we went over for the movie, Grandma said that Grandpa had been eating really well, talking pretty well, and seemed like he was having a good week!  This was a relief because as I said before, we were getting worried there for awhile.......   

Grandma and Grandpa have a wind- up clock in their living room that has that "mind relaxing" tick- tock, tick- tock.  Grandpa has always been the one to wind it and keep it going......well, he has recently forgotten and it has stopped.  : /   My grandma tried and tried to wind it, but there is something special that you have to do to get the pendulum to swing again.  (only Grandpa has this touch) 

The day that we went over for a movie, Grandpa got up and saw that the clock had stopped.............went over, took it off the shelf and got it going!!!!   :)

I know to you this may seem miniscule and stupid.....but for us to hear that was such GREAT news!  :)  

God, please be with my Grandma every step of the way.....she needs your guidance for patience and strength as her husband is getting older, and so is she.  Give Grandpa a smile and laugh to keep him in good spirits....he needs this.....and so do we.  Amen.